Clarence Ford

Clarence “Sherm” Ford, 85, of St. Joseph died on Sat., Nov. 26, 2011 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. Arrangements have been entrusted with Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home of St. Joseph. Sherm was born on May 17, 1926 in West Lafayette, IN to Omar and Ethyl (Johnston) Ford. Sherm enjoyed his Hoosier childhood in West Lafayette, IN. He graduated from West Lafayette High School in 1944 and served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Sherm attended Purdue with his buddies while earning a B.S. in Pharmacy. In 1951 he entered the University of Michigan Master’s Program in Hospital Pharmacy and earned a M.S. in Hospital Pharmacy. He met Amy there and together they were married on January 12, 1952 in Ann Arbor, MI. Sherm became director of the hospital pharmacy at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY then worked as a pharmaceutical representative for Eli Lilly. Sherm was owner/operator and pharmacist with Ford LaSalle Drug Store in St. Joseph from 1961-1987 when he retired. In retirement he worked at Watervliet Community Hospital and Dowagiac Drug in Dowagiac. He served as President of Berrien Hills Country Club; was a senior member and Past President of St. Joseph Kiwanis Club; served as President of Tri-County Pharmaceutical Associates; member St. Joseph Business Association; member St. Joseph High School Football Booster Club; was a life member of Purdue University Alumni Association; and a senior member of the St. Joseph Elks Club. Sherm loved golf, assembling golf clubs, reading, playing cards with his friends, fly tying, and watching his grandchildren’s many activities. Sherm is survived by his wife Amelia “Amy”; his two sons, Daniel (Virginia) Ford of Santa Fe, NM and Gordon (Eliza) Ford of St. Joseph, MI; grandchildren Nicholas Ford of Gardner, KS, Autumn (David) Pohl of Tulsa, OK, Phillip Ford of Santa Fe, NM and Tulsa OK, Dylan Ford and Anderson Ford of St. Joseph, MI; step-grandsons Brett (Virginia) Bays of Denver, CO and Vance Bay of Dallas, TX; great-grandsons Parker and Grayson Pohl of Tulsa OK; and three nieces and five nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents-Omar and Ethyl, a brother-L. James Ford, and a sister Barbara “Bobbie” Turner. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thurs., Dec. 1, 11:30am at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI. Visitation is on Weds., Nov. 30, from 5:00-7:00pm at the funeral home. Sherm will be cremated and buried at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warriors. Friends wishing to leave a message of condolence, or to sign the family guestbook, may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.